Lead Development Underwriter

We are looking to recruit an experienced Senior Underwriter to work within the commercial SME Chief Underwriting Officers team. You will be responsible for understanding these changes and the risks and opportunities they present for our commercial Mid-Market business.

Key to the role will be ability to turn this understanding into meaningful underwriting strategies which generate growth opportunities for our business. You will have a great underwriting background and be able to interpret data and trends. Importantly you are able to create a vision for how we develop our underwriting and energize a team of over 400 mid-market underwriters to realise that vision.

You will need drive, enthusiasm and be good at coaching. You will lead by example balancing the strategic work with delivery of the financial results both through the broader underwriting & sales teams and direct involvement in larger customer or broker opportunities.

Role Purpose

Responsible for driving profitable growth and setting strategic direction of the business through delivery of the Profit & Loss plan by providing expertise, technical advice, underwriting development and analysis on areas of industry focus in line with the Regional Mid-Market Plan.

Key accountabilities include:

• Delivery of the Profit and Loss plan for the aligned region

• Build business plans to support sustainable profit

• Develop technical content to support capability uplift of Underwriters and broader SME community

• Continuous improvement of underwriting (guidance, optimising underwriting, street pricing, risk acceptance, drive profit)

• Support the creation of a vibrant trading culture within the Region to maximise profitable retention and new business opportunity with clear strategic direction for future plans

• Determine growth in the Portfolio, sector aligned and plans to deliver it

• Risk & Governance including the control and governance of our underwriting guidance (Compass)

• Recognised Subject Matter Expert, will advise and lead on complex cases and non-routine work

• Collaboration across CTU, SME, Customer Proposition/Product, ARMS, Claims and GI

• Input into SME projects and developments 

• Claims insight and investigation to analyse trends and help line leads identify areas to enhance risk selection or where additional risk management or change in strategy needed

The Person:

• ACII or equivalent

• Degree Level qualification (preferred but not essential)

• Strong Leadership skills aligned to the Aviva Values

Experience:

• Underwriting roles in senior positions

• Managing underwriting accounts

• Developing strategic contacts and relationships in a complex environment

• Contributing to National Underwriting Strategy

• Managing complex nonstandard underwriting arrangements

• Coaching and mentoring staff

• Analysis of data trends to identify growth opportunities and inform future underwriting strategy 

• Excellent understanding of the insurance industry with a broad knowledge of external regulators

• Knowledge of insurance regulation, agency and compliance

What will you get for this role?

• Competitive salary depending on skills, experience, qualifications & location

• Generous defined contribution pension scheme

• Annual performance related bonus and pay review

• Holiday allowance of 29 days plus bank holidays and the option to buy/sell up to 5 additional days

• Up to 40% discount for some Aviva products through “My Aviva Extras” plus discounts for Friends and Family. (Some exclusions apply)

• Excellent range of flexible benefits to include a matching share save scheme

Working at Aviva

At Aviva, we’re people with a purpose. To be with you today, for a better tomorrow.

We bring this to life by ensuring managing risk is at the heart of the way we all work. We love people who do the right thing for our customers, and our colleagues. We want people who speak up, who take ownership, and who make good decisions.

The way we do this is important too, we’re all about our people – that’s you – so we can be pretty flexible. If you want to work from home some of the time or change your hours so you can pick up your kids or care for someone in your family, we’re very open to that. In fact, we don’t advertise roles as either part or full time, because we know each person has different needs, just as each business area has different needs. So, it’s up to you to discuss working hours during your interview.

We care deeply about being inclusive and that means we encourage applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We want our employees to bring their whole self to work and that starts with you.

We interview every disabled applicant* that meets the minimum criteria for the job. Once you’ve applied, please send us a separate email stating that you have a disclosed disability and we’ll make sure we interview you.

We’d love it if you could submit your application online. If you require an alternative method of applying, please give Guv a call on 0750 008 7919 or send an email to Guv.johal@aviva.com

*As defined in The Equality Act 2010*. By ‘minimum criteria’ we mean you should provide us with evidence which demonstrates that you generally meet the level of competence required and have the qualifications, skills or experience defined as essential to perform the role.